The Pathways of Life
by Unknown Person 838
Summary: After years of constant failure, Isabella has given up and finds herself moving away from the boy who had completely broken her. Struck by the sadness, Phineas finally realizes how much Isabella meant to him. Now, to get her back, he must face the hardships, the terror, and the violence that plagues the streets. Each decision affecting every aspect of the young boy's life.
1. Realizations

**A/N: **This Fic was inspired by Ruler Of Space's 'On the Road to Isabella'. All credit for the concept goes to the book 'Homecoming'. 

* * *

The Pathways of Life

I sighed as the clock neared ten. My eyes zipped from one side of the room to the other, trying to find a way to distract me from my recent thoughts. The very thoughts that nearly drive me to insanity. Yet, it is all due to something so important and so complicated. It is something that I never understood. Ferb described it as something called _love._

_Love. What was it? How do I know if I'm in love?_

When I was ten, it was something that had never occurred to me. It was never even mentioned. Now, I was 17, and it seemed like everyone I went to had the same answer. Everyone told me that I had something for Isabella, but the truth is that I was never sure. Yeah, she is cute beyond what I could ever imagine, but I have never thought of her as more than just a friend.

I shook off the thought and slowly stood up. The bright light of the moon attracted me towards the window. The sky was completely clear. My hands reached for the handles and slowly opened the window, letting in the breeze of the cool summer night. I've had enough of the stuffy air that was trapped in my room, so I stepped onto the roof of the house. The breeze quickly rushed against my body, the night was perfect.

Slowly, I laid down on the flat roof and stared at the white, bright, full moon. My mind quickly rushed back to the thoughts I have been trying to avoid, back to Isabella. Soon, my thoughts began to take control of my body. My eyes found themselves staring directly towards the empty house across the street. I could still see a sign in front of her house that read 'For Sale'. The memories of my childhood flooded my mind; especially of a certain someone who used to live there.

Even though it had just been a week since the girl from across the street had left, I had begun to miss her so dearly. Most of the time I wished that she would have never left. It had all started with Isabella finding out that there was a Talent Show happening at the Googolplex Mall. One of the judges happened to be a Hollywood representative looking for the 'next big thing'. In the end, Isabella won the talent show with her voice. No surprise there, Isabella has always had something when it came to singing; she had such a beautiful voice.

Just about a week after the contest, Isabella was expected to say goodbye to her life in Danville. She would be taken to Hollywood before the week was up. With tears in her eyes, she reluctantly said goodbye to everyone she had come to know. It pained me to see the once cheerful and bubbly girl who used to visit us every day of the summer just to say, 'What'cha doin?' undergo such pain and suffering. When the time came for and Isabella and I to say our final goodbyes, I nearly broken. The first thing she did was hug me. Surely, I also hugged her back with the same intensity as she was hugging me. She then gave me a quick peck on my cheek and whispered a hushed, "Bye Phineas," in my ear.

I could still smell the lip gloss she was using that day. The slight smell of strawberries still lingered on my cheek, it was something I really didn't want to lose. It was probably the only keepsake I had from her. But what did difference does it make now? Isabella and I are more than three thousand miles apart. She is all the way across the country. It would be impossible for the two of us to ever see each other again.

"I'm just going to assume this is about Isabella. Am I right?" A heavy accented voice asked behind me. I turned my head around only to find my British step-brother, Ferb.

"No, not really. I'm just here for the fresh air." I lied. He stared directly into my eyes with a sense of disbelief. I could quickly tell that he had not bought the lie. My eyesight quickly went from Ferb and onto the roof we were on. "I'm a terrible liar. Yes, this is all because of Isabella. Are you going to mock me because of it?"

"No. I won't," Ferb began. "Though, I know exactly what you are going through."

I stared at the British teen in confusion. Ferb was probably the last person who I would look for love advice. It was quite a surprise when Ferb said that he knew about all of this. "You do?" I asked.

"Yes, I do. In my case, there was a girl named Vanessa Doofenshmirtz." he paused, "She was basically what Isabella is to you. She was virtually my everything. I used to be madly in love with her. Sadly, before I could ever express my feelings for her, she was forced to move just for a College in New York City. That moment nearly killed me; it nearly drove me insane. I know the loneliness, the confusion, the anger, and the sadness that came along with that."

This is was part of Ferb's life that no one really knew. He had never even mentioned about that moment to anyone, not even me. My mind couldn't comprehend, all of this time I thought Ferb was just a clueless wreck just like me. "Wow." is the only thing I manage to muster.

I heard Ferb sigh. My eyes darted to my side. I noticed that Ferb had taken a seat a few feet away from me. His eyes staring directly at what used to be Isabella's house. "Tell me," Ferb began, "What do you think you're feeling?"

Confusion and disbelief reigned my mind, other than that, I was completely clueless. "I don't know. Confusion."

"Typical. What about Isabella? What do you think of her?" Ferb asked.

"Again, I don't know." I began, "I mean, yeah she is cute, adorable, and beautiful. She is probably the most beautiful girl that my eyes have ever seen. She was a brave and courageous girl, she was truly amazing."

I saw a smile slowly began to creep up on Ferb's face. He was grinning like an idiot. "That's love."

"What? No." I denied.

"Yes, yes it is. I mean, you show signs of love. You don't exactly have to be a doctor to figure that out." Ferb started.

"You admire her, you find her beautiful, cute, and adorable. Hell, you even admire her for who she is! What is else is there to it?" Ferb asked himself. "The two of you have grown up together and have become closer and closer with each passing day."

My mouth stayed shut, waiting for him to continue. He doesn't. Soon after, everything turned completely quiet. The only noise that could be heard was the faint sound of electrical fans and the buzz of the insects that roamed the dark, cool air.

"Love is such a complicated thing. We do whatever we can just so to find the person who you want spend the rest of your life with." Ferb stated as he moved his gaze and placed it on me, "Trust me. Whatever you are feeling, that is something called love."

I didn't object. As confused as though I may be, Ferb was right. I did admire her, her personality, and her optimism in everything. In some cases, she has even saved all of our lives; let alone mine. She has always been there for me just waiting for the right moment to lift me up whenever I fall. The same way she did when we were stranded on the deserted island without a way out.

"I'm sorry, Ferb. It's just that my mind can't comprehend. There is just a mixture of everything that is slowly destroying me." I stated.

"I understand. Give it time, you'll understand everything soon enough. I mean, you are the oblivious one. It would always take time for you to figure things out," Ferb jokingly responded as he playfully punched my arm.

"Oblivious? Me? Oblivious?" I manage to choke out as the news begins to sink in. I couldn't recall not a single moment of such a claim.

"You have to be joking. I thought that you were starting to get this once you began feeling something for the girl. "Ferb started in an annoyed tone, "You have no idea of what went on don't you?"

My gaze slowly shifted from Isabella's house to Ferb. He was staring at me, not believing anything that I said have just said. "It's true. I have no idea of what you are talking about."

He stared at me with disgust and disbelief, as if I wasn't his brother. "I don't know where to begin. There's just so many things that you missed." he paused, "Remember when we managed to crash land in the deserted island; and you know how our stop before that was Paris, right?"

"Right." It took a moment for me to recall the memory, it was faint but I managed to remember all of it.

"You managed to ignore her completely. You devastated her, you nearly destroyed the very way she was!" He took a moment to relax and lower his voice. "While you were panicking about getting off the island, Isabella went off to the other side of the island. She was feeling hopeless. I approached her and she finally lost it. Isabella began to pour her heart out to me and she couldn't retain the tears she had in her eyes. Thankfully, it was your friendly nature that managed to fix everything, or else you would have lost her that day."

I couldn't believe what my ears were hearing. I could not believe how much damage my actions had caused her in just one day. Worst of all, I didn't even know of any of this. My confusion quickly turned into anger and regret. I looked up expecting to see the moon, once again, but all my eyes saw was Paris. All my eyes managed to see were the times when I had ignored Isabella. The Parisian Cafe, the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Elysees, and many Parisian streets appeared in front me. A small tear began to develop in one of my eyes. I cannot take it, the guilt that came alongside knowing the truth was unbearable. Ignorance was truly bliss. I slammed my hand against the roof of the house, not caring whether or not I could wake someone up.

"Look. Don't blame yourself. You were just twelve. You were too young to understand." Ferb stated.

"Yes! Maybe I was just twelve but that doesn't excuse anything. What I did to her was terrible and it was all my fault," I was practically yelling, "Now that I know what had happened, she's gone! I can't make things right with her ever again!"

"Unless..." Ferb started, "You take matters into your own hands."

I stared at Ferb with a blank expression. "What do you mean?" He placed his eyes on me, giving me a hopeful but devious smile.

"Go after her." Ferb finally said.

_What? Go after her? A seventeen year old risking everything for a single girl!_

"You can do it! You're the infamous Phineas Flynn. You did basically everything with your inventions. There's nothing you cannot do!" I now saw what Ferb was trying to do. He wanted to resurface the older, more enthusiastic, and confident me that of which I used to be. That part of me perished four years ago all due to an accident that nearly cost the life of a friend.

"No. There are things that I just cannot do. This is one of them." I concluded.

My ears heard a disappointed sigh come from the British teen. "Go inside Ferb. I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Fine. I'll leave you be. But I want you to think about what I've said. If you think you can't do it just think about Isabella. Think about what you feel about her. Do it for her." With that, Ferb stood up and made his way into the room, leaving me alone once again.

My eyes found themselves staring at the moon once again, trying to capture the light that reflected from its surface. I tried to find tranquility with such activities but the words that Ferb had used still rang in my head.

_Do it for her!_

Nothing in my life has ever made me feel this way. Nothing had more feel to it than this phrase that still swarmed my being. Absolutely nothing held more importance than the girl that used to live across the street. Considering that, I did what Ferb had told me to do. My mind drifted into the wonderful thoughts of the girl in pink.

I've come to realize that even though I've given her many bad moments, I have also given her many unforgettable memories. My thoughts drifted into the moment when Isabella and I had gone to the ice cream parlor following the birthday party that I had planned. I also thought of them many occasions that I've held her hand and danced with her.

All of a sudden, I heard the roar of the engines of a nearly plane pass right above me. I snapped out of the trance. My eyes looked around, seeing if everything was still the same. My sight caught the appearance of my watch all across the roof. My body forced itself to stand up and I made my way to the watch. My hand grabbed the watch and wrapped it around my wrist. I caught the sight of the time, it was already midnight.

_I guess I should go inside._ I thought.

My feet stride all the way to the only entrance that I had available. I forced myself into the entrance and back into my room. Instantly, I felt the heat and humidity of the house, it was disgusting.

"So, did you think about what I had said?" Ferb asked.

"Yes, I did."

"And...?"

"I'll do it. I realized that nothing is more important to me at the moment. Plus, I know I have a shot to regaining her." I said confidently.

Ferb smirked but it instantly vanished as he came across one thought, "Now, what's the plan?"

My face dropped. I completely had forgotten about a plan. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?!" Ferb yelled.

"Look. Stop yelling at me! I got so caught up into thinking about Isabella and the past that I had forgotten to think of a plan. I'll think of something before the night is up. If you wish to help me, please do. If you don't, go back to sleep!" I took charge of the moment to set up order.

Ferb sighed once again and stared down to his feet. "Fine. I'll help you." Ferb started, "Sorry for erupting like that on you. It's just that I would like to see the two of you together. I want to see the two of you happy once again. Just like the days of our early teenage years. I'm willing to help as much as I can to accomplish these dreams."

"Thank you, Ferb." I started as the night continued to progress. For hours, both Ferb and I proposed ideas, rejected and approved of some of them. All the while, I took the initiative to being packing everything I needed. I packed everything from clothing, $3000 in cash, my phone, and my wallet. I had to travel as light as possible.

As time continued on, my mind drifted onto the thought of me taking to the road, facing the dangers of reality. Suddenly, I realized that I have negated the thought of danger. I now felt scared. My mind battled with itself wondering what was really worth it. Eventually, I settled on a thought, that thought was _Isabella. _Finally, as the clock struck 2 am, we have decided on what to do.

"To review, you are to leave before dawn, that way you could sneak out of the house without being detected. From there, walk out of the city. Do not use any kind of public transportation. Once you are out of the city, find yourself taking some sort of transportation. By then, mother and father would have become alarmed by your disappearance. I'll try to distract them as much as possible." Ferb explained, "When you reach your next major city, avoid the police and keep on moving. You cannot be caught by the police. From there, it's up to you on how to get a move on closer to Isabella."

"Alright. I got it."

"Now get some sleep. You're going to need all the energy you can get. I'll wake you up when it's time." Ferb suggested.

I nodded. I did as he said and quickly made my way into my bed. My eyes closed as I heard the sound of the bed sheets being reset.

My eyes flashed in an instant as I heard someone call out my name. _Phineas, wake up! _The burning sensation quickly overtook my eyes as they slowly opened. I looked around, it was still dark.

"Phineas it's time to get going." I nodded and quickly made my way out of the room. "Good luck, bro."

"I'm going to need all of the luck I can get." With that, I stepped out of the door and stepped into the hallway. I slowly stepped past the door that gave way to my parent's room, my heart racing. After that, I started down the steps. Each step leading me closer to a breakdown.

I was relieved when I had made it to the living room. My nervousness finally eased. My confidence soared and I took big strides towards the door. Suddenly, I felt a pain in my toe and I heard a big noise. My heart stopped. My breath put on hold for a second but nothing happened.

With a chill down my spine, I reached the door and opened it. I stepped out and shut the door behind me. I took a second to look around, it seemed as if my own neighborhood was new to me.

There was no turning back now. I had made up my mind to find Isabella. I had gone through the trouble to pack everything I needed and sneak out of the house. Most importantly, I knew that Isabella had been hurt and all because of me. I looked down and stared into the rough concrete and let off a sigh. Finally, after a few moments, I took my first step. From then on out, I was alone.

I was alone to accomplish the seemingly impossible. 

* * *

**A/N: **I'll keep it short. I'll attempt to update this every 10 days. Also, with the upcoming chapters, this Fic might find itself slipping into the 'Rated M' category. Take this as your warning.


	2. Mental Turmoils

The Pathways of Life: Mental Turmoils

My feet moved in a rhythm, each step the same as the previous one. My eyes taking in everything that was within my perception. The lights still illuminated the streets as the sun began to peek over the horizon. Never before, have I taken the chance to take in the beauty of Danville. The sight was something to watch in awe. I felt sense of regret stream over me, I have missed the Danville of my childhood and it would never return. Albeit, the town sounded abandoned, the streets of Danville were engulfed in an eerie quiet. It was peaceful, yet a bit frightening.

When I finally made it to downtown Danville, the sun had already risen for me to finally see its entirety. The time was nearing six. I knew that time was running out. I had to get out of the city. I picked up the pace and made my way down Main Street. My body made great progress until I came upon a familiar building, it was the Soda Fountain Ice Cream Parlor.

My feet advanced toward the glass that made up the walls of the parlor. In a cupped fashion, my hands rested themselves on the glass, allowing me to see past the brightness and into the parlor. I didn't see much, seeing that my mind drifted to the purpose of why I was embarking on this journey, Isabella. It has been years since, but it was there where both Isabella and I went for ice cream after celebrating her 12th birthday. I suppose, that was our first true 'date' and I had to admit that it was wonderful to just spend time with her. Then, another thought struck me. It embarrassed and enraged me to think that I would invite Ferb to come along as well. It was clear that she wanted some alone time with me and I nearly let her down. It was my regular, annoying, oblivious self working its magic once again. Thankfully, Ferb had to do something else that afternoon.

"Sir, can I help you?" I quickly snapped back into reality, only to find a woman wearing a light pink and white uniform standing right beside me. Her face holding a stern look. "Oh. No. Sorry, I was just thinking." I turned around and once again moved down Main Street.

By the time the sun was making a decent appearance and was starting to warm everything up, I had reached my destination. The Danville Bus Terminal was buzzing with activity, it housed hundreds of buses that were capable of making cross state trips. To think that a few years ago, the terminal was non existent. It truly amazed me to see how much the city had changed in just a few years.

I looked around for a bus that would take me as far into the right direction it could. At first, luck was completely against me. Most buses made the trips up North, into Canada. I rushed toward a ticket booth. "What's the farthest any bus could take me?" I questioned.

"If you are heading West, the Greyhound bus could take you to Boston, from there you would have to make a transfer onto another bus. From there, there'll be many choices. It all depends on where you intend to go to," the man answered.

"Hollywood." I felt a sense of anger as I spoke of the place.

"Then, yes. You'll need to buy a Greyhound bus ticket to Boston. I could sell you one here if you wish, they're $40."

"Alright." I spoke as I reached for my wallet, pulling out two twenties, and handed them to the employee. "Say, aren't you a little young to be going to Hollywood on your own?" he asked as I handed him the money.

"No, no I'm not." I answered in an annoyed tone. The man shrugged and slid a ticket toward me.

With my ticket at hand, I advanced to the nearest Greyhound terminal and searched for a bus that was traveling to Boston. My search gave fruition once I stumbled upon Terminal 15. In big lights, there was a board that emphasized where the bus was headed, Boston, Massachusetts. My feet felt numb as I rushed toward the countertop and handed her my ticket. "Go ahead. You can board. We leave in a few minutes." the woman said.

I did as she said and took toward a window seat inside the bus. I relaxed and set my backpack beside me. "Everyone take your seats, we will be leaving once everyone has settled down." the driver stated.

With that, the bus began to steadily accelerate toward the exit. My eyes closed with each passing moment, I was exhausted. I attempted to stay awake but the lack of sleep and the slight rocking of the bus overcame my intentions. An image slowly began to appear within the darkness of my closed eyelids, it was my family around the dinner table. There was only one chair missing, it belonged to the only person who abandoned them, Guilt began to consume me. I couldn't bear to think of my parents, worried to death about my sudden absence.

_Ring Ring Ring_

I was startled by the abrupt ringtone coming from my left pocket. Tired and aching, my hand reached for the phone and checked the screen, it was Ferb. "Ferb!"

"Phineas, please tell me that you have already gotten out of the city." I could hear a sense of panic that enveloped my step-brother's voice. My stomach began to turn uncontrollably.

"Almost. The city line is near."

"Uhm. Things are starting to get out of control here. Mom and Dad had awoken much earlier than we had anticipated and breakfast is almost done. If they don't see you downstairs they will begin to suspect something is up. You have to make it to your first stop as soon as possible." Ferb explained.

Panic had begun to set in within me. "Don't worry about me. I'll make everything work. I'll make sure that nobody finds me."

My ears caught a loud sigh on the other side of the phone line. "Alright. I'll try my best to distract mom and dad but I can't promise anything. I don't expect the police being alarmed just yet about your absence," Ferb started, "It'll take some time for them to expand and intensify the search. Still, I'd avoid any kind of law enforcement officials to minimize your trace. Also, remember to keep moving, do not stay in one area for too long and don't wait too long to contact me."

"I got it. Don't worry about it. Until then." I ordered as I ended the call. My hands set the phone on vibrate and placed it back to its original place. My eyes then shifted toward the window. Within my sight was the sign that signified the city's end line and the beginning of another, Bar Harbor.

The bus slowly clawed its way past the beautiful city. The features of the city emphasized its uniqueness. Streets were lit by lamps that hung low from their posts. Beside the city, stood a waterfront that had severely receded, revealing the snails and shells that had made up the waterfront. Bar Harbor was truly beautiful. I wished that I had the time to stay, but alas, I had other things to accomplish.

I forced my eyes shut while the bus roared out of the city. Before I knew it, my body had blocked out any kind of sound and went completely limp. Another image formed in my mind, only this time I saw everyone in their early teenage years, a massive invention lay in the background. I recognized the invention immediately; it was the creation that had put an end to an era of happiness. The accident had happened that day all due to a fatal miscalculation that I had conceived. It nearly cost the life of someone close to me, that same person was the one who I had fallen in love with.

The moment had taken place a few years ago but the memory was still crisp. Isabella's last second blood curling shriek was still fresh in my mind. Phineas! The small pool of blood that had formed under her also had forced itself into my mind. I saw the teenage me run toward her limp body and slowly pick her up with tears running down his eyes. Isabella! No! I heard him say.

Sweat ran down my forehead when I was forced to reopen my eyes, only to see that we had already arrived in Boston. "It was all my fault. It was my own damned fault!" I managed to muster as I clenched my fists and punched the metal siding of the vehicle.

"Well, we have arrived at South Station Bus Terminal in Boston. Passengers, I hope you have enjoyed your ride with us and I hope you would choose us again for your on the road purposes. Thank you, and have a wonderful rest of the day." With that, the bus came to a complete halt in between two other empty buses. The door opened and everyone rushed outside of the cramped space that was the bus. I remained seated and waited before I made my move to exit the vehicle.

Once out, my feet went into overdrive. I quickly ran out of the terminal, avoiding the line of sight of every guard, and pushed down the next road I could see. By the time the bus station had come completely out of sight, I had come to a halt. My eyes darted from side to side, looking at the strange and compact city. I didn't know what to do next. I made my way to the corner of an unknown street and pulled out my phone. My thumbs searched for the green haired British step-brother in the contacts list. Running out of options, I gave him a call. The line rang six times before Ferb's recorded voice answered, telling me to leave a message. Letting off a small sigh, I slowly began to slide all the way down to the concrete floor, the phone still in my hand. In a moment's flash, my mind found itself being clouded by many thoughts and memories. Still, one memory stood out among the others.

Our signature tree stood proud and tall at the very end of my backyard. Under the leafy tree were two boys, it was Ferb and I. It was the usually how the two of us started out our summer days. I still remembered how each summer day played out. "Oh how I yearn for those days to return." I whispered to myself.

All of us were happy. The inventions that we had created brought joy to much of Danville and our neighbors. It used to be a moment in which both Ferb and I were hailed as "prodigies" of the city. Most important of all, Isabella was still in love with me.

"Young man? Are you okay?" a middle aged man asked.

I stood up and shook myself awake. "Uh. Yeah, yeah, sure. I'm fine."

A worried look painted the face of the man. "Are you sure?"

My attempts at remaining strong were swiftly crumbling. My emotions were beginning to well up inside me. I felt the forming of tears and the creating of something that attacked my throat. "No. I'm not okay," I started, my head looking at my shoes, "I am a failure. My younger self made many mistakes and now I'm paying for it. I'm desperately trying to fix the mess I have created."

"Oh, you poor guy! Please, let me help!" he said as he stretched his hand toward me. I took his hand and gently shook it. A single tear ran down the side of my face. "I'm Mark, by the way."

"Phineas. Phineas Flynn." The man jumped back in surprise.

"Phineas Flynn? Are you the fabled Phineas Flynn?"

"Used to be," I answered in sadness. People still knew me even as far away as the other side of Northeast. Who knows? Maybe people from across the continent knew me. It was a shame that no one knew the truth about what had happened.

"Used to be? What do you mean?" he questioned. "Do you and Ferb just not build massive inventions anymore?"

"It's a long and painful story. I'd rather not tell the story now. I'm already a mess, I don't want to get worse. If you know Isabella Garcia-Shapiro and her story then you should know why I do not build anymore." It was all my fault!

"No, I don't," he started, "Anyway, let me help you. You're going back to Danville, right?"

"Wrong. I'm heading to Hollywood." I retorted, "I'm going to Hollywood to set things right with someone. I just cannot live with this guilt and pressure that comes with this especially considering who this person is." I finished as I avoided telling the man about my obvious feelings for Isabella.

"Well, I can still help you in this. I can take you as far west as I can, New York City perhaps."

"Sure. Are you able to leave right now? I can't exactly stay in one place for too long." I asked as I raised my hopes. It seemed as if I may have just secured a ride further west.

"Yeah, I should be able to. I mean, I was just heading home but it won't be a problem."

"Great!" I yelled, my face painted with enthusiasm and happiness. It was a combination that had appeared to be rare ever since Isabella's departure. I must admit that feeling enthusiastic was one of the greatest feelings I could ever experience at the moment. It was wonderful.

"Okay. Great! My car is parked on the other side of the street. It's the silver minivan." he said as he pointed directly at a minivan that fit the description. Without another word, both of us bolted and entered the car.

We sped down U.S. Route 1, passing by any car that dared to come in front of us. It was a surprise to me that a cop had not yet pulled us over for speeding. It was a welcoming surprise, though. If the police were to pull him over, I was surely to be caught by them as well. I needed to avoid the police at all costs, even if it meant that it took more time. "Hey, could you slow it down a bit? I don't want to attract any kind of attention to myself."

"Oh. Okay." he obeyed, "Why don't you want to attract attention? It's not like you have committed a crime. The police have no reason why to target you."

"I might as well have committed a crime. My mother will eventually find out where I'm going. She is going to use everything in her power to bring me back, even if it requires a nationwide search. She's that overprotective. It's only a matter of time in which posters with my face in it start to appear."

"Oh. Didn't think of it that way. I kinda thought that you told your parents about this," he paused, "You're trying to find Isabella, aren't you?"

My face grew red hot as I let off a blush of embarrassment. "No. No. Why would you think that? It's not like I like her." My head jerked from side to side, denying every little thought that came to mind. "Uh huh. Sure." I heard him sarcastically agree.

"Fine, I like her! A bit too much for my liking but yes, I like her. I've recently been dreaming of our first, so called, date. I've also been having dreams of her and I kissing. What makes this worse is that the dream doesn't feel like a dream at all, it felt as if it were a very faint and weak memory."

"Sounds to me that you are in love with her," he stated.

"Yes, I might," I began, "Look, I'm just going to sleep. I'm going to need complete energy if I'm going to survive New York." He didn't say another word.

A blue bricked background setting appeared before me. At the corner of the room stood all of our friends ranging from Baljeet to Stacy. Beside me, stood a bulky machine that was pointed directly at them. The machine had an insignia that had the letters O.W.C.A underneath it. I moved closer to the machine and carefully studies everyone's faces. In front of everyone, stood a younger version of Isabella and I. "Uhm, Major Monogram?" "

"Uh. Yes?"

"So, none of us will remember any of today?" she asked.

"That's right," a man said from the opposite side of the machine.

"Good!" She took advantage of the moment. Isabella took her hands and placed them on my younger self's arms. Alongside that, she tilted his triangle head upwards and sweetly kissed him. Once the lip lock had been released, his head jerked back into position and a smile went across his face. He gasped in surprise. "Isabella!"

"Hit it Carl!"

"Wait. Wait. Wait!" he yelled, exasperation taking control of his voice. His efforts were fruitless as my dream had completely shut down. Everyone who I had known disappeared, the background had gone completely dark, everything was gone, my dream was over.

I opened my eyes to a very bright afternoon. There was not a single cloud in the distance. I let off a yawn as I attempted to stretch inside the cramped car. My being reset itself, finding the most comfortable way to sit straight.

A smile crept up my face. It was New York City.

* * *

**A/N:** I tried to play around with some thoughts and feelings Phineas could have in this chapter. I tried to make it interesting, but there's only so much I can do. Next chapter might include some violence, so there's an increased probability this Fic will be raised to an M Rating.

One more thing, I'll make the update times shorter. There's no reason why a single chapter should take me 10 days to whip up.


	3. Resistance

The Pathways of Life: Resistance

Buildings covered the horizon, each reflecting light from its own piece of the Sun. It filled me with excitement when the thought of first seeing the grand New York City in person struck me. I held my expectations at a high. With every mile closer, it advanced unpredictably to a new kind of expectation that I was unaware of. I was looking forward to the short visit of the biggest American city.

"New York City!" I screeched as the city grew ever so close.

"Yes. The big apple. Have you ever been to the city?" the man said with an obvious sense of curiosity that was melded into his voice. "Have you ever been there?"

"No. I haven't. I can say that I am really excited, though." I replied.

"I've been there before," he started as he held an angered look toward the direction of the city, "I moved out of the city years ago. I feared for my family's well-being. We somehow managed to get ourselves tangled with local gangs. We were targeted by them, basically."

A long sigh followed the man's short speech. "One of them took my daughter. I don't know what happened to her. I spent countless hours searching for her, but to no avail. Her body was found weeks later and it lacked any signs of life. My daughter was dead. I left the city soon after. What's the point in remaining in the city when your entire family is in danger?" A small tear shed down from his eye.

"Yeah, I would too." I felt a sudden stir of emotions, sadness and sympathy engulfed my entire body. Suddenly, I felt an urge to tell him what exactly I was going through. "I'm doing this for Isabella. You know that I love her. I'm willing to do this for her, no matter if this goes against my parents or the security of my life."

"Well, I must say that you are a brave young man to pursue a girl who you love. Still, I must also say that you are extremely stupid for doing this. You are risking your own life for someone who you don't even know whether or not holds feelings towards you," he explained.

"She used to. I used to be her 'reason to live' and her 'little crumb cake'. My obliviousness is what got in between the two of us. Every time she would flirt with me, I wouldn't notice a thing," I said as the sense of guilt returned to me with a vengeance.

"What can I say? If she could look within herself to find the buried feelings she has for you, she'll take you back. If not, well, don't expect much, regardless of whether or not she knows that you are doing this for her."

"I know, but I must take the risk to find out. If I don't, then I'll just live out my life asking myself what could have happened," I responded, "I don't want that."

"All I can say is that you must be careful and persistent. The streets of America aren't exactly safe havens," he said as we pulled up to a toll booth that blocked the entrance into the city. He handed a woman a ten and three ones. The woman gave him a slight nod and we pulled out soon after. We were greeted by more cars and a seemingly endless amount of calm water that lay under us.

It seemed like an endless time paradox but after getting through the massive amounts of cars that made up the late afternoon rush hour, both of us found ourselves in a somewhat run-down neighborhood. In no way did the neighborhood look like the trademark New York City that appeared everywhere. "I really wish I could take you further but if I continue on, I would put myself in danger. Gangs always hold a grudge."

An uneasy look took possession of my face. "Yeah, it's fine. Any little bit of assistance always helps. I'll take from here and thank you," I said as I turned away from the car and began to take my first step away from the car, my sense of direction completely lost.

"Hey, Phineas. Good luck... with everything."

My head slightly motioned toward Mark, my serious appearance gave way to slight smirk. "Thank you." With a single act of gratitude, I restarted my quest on foot. Before I could disappear from his view, I heard one last thing. "Bring her back home and don't give up until you do so." I smiled and quickly continued on my way. The walk quickly ate away at what was left of my energy, with a terribly small breakfast, no lunch, and the time nearing six, I was exhausted and hungry. With no police on my tail, nothing to keep me away from public places, I looked for a restaurant. My search for one didn't take long, there were countless amounts of small and big eateries around the area. The choice was mine to make. Finally, I decided on a decently sized restaurant that could tend to the needs of some 30 people.

I took toward a table set for two and lay my backpack aside from me. Within minutes, a waitress came up to me, offering me a menu. "Good evening. Welcome to the Unlucky Goose Restaurant. What is it that you wish to have on this fine evening?"

I was overwhelmed by the amount of choices that were displayed. There were countless amounts of main course dishes. To make matters harder, deserts also made up a massive list. "Uhm. I'll just have dinner special,"

"Sure. We'll have your order out within minutes," the waitress said, a sense of sweetness in her voice. She took off behind the counter, rapidly ripped a piece of paper, and disappeared once she walked into the kitchen. I pulled out my phone and once again attempted to dial my British stepbrother. The phone rang several times before someone on the other line finally answered and it wasn't Ferb. "Hello? Who is this?" The voice seemed to resemble much of the voice that belonged to Mother. Panicked, my thumb instantly found itself on the 'End Call' button as chills ran down my body.

After forcing my body to calm down, my eyes closed and hand moved toward my forehead. In the midst of darkness, I heard the door open once again. The sounds of footsteps seemed to get louder and louder with each passing second. My eyes opened to the sight of a young woman, around my age, sitting across from me. She had no expression on her face.

"Uhm. Who are you?" I asked.

"Shut up and be quiet," she barked. I followed through with the orders, not wanting to stir any trouble. The waitress returned, this time with my order at hand. "Oh, I didn't know you had someone else with you. My mistake," she apologized, "What do you wish to have tonight?"

"Just get me a soda. To go!" she yelled as the waitress made her way toward the counter, "And make it quick!" Her tone of voice scared me along with the way she dressed. The woman dressed in all black.

Her shoes, pants, and a t-shirt were all completely dark. Her facial features were enhanced by the slight makeup and her eyes lashes enhanced by the black mascara she wore.

"Uhm." A confused and scared look covered my face. The both of us awkwardly stared at each other, her with an angry look. Within what seemed to be hours, the waitress appeared, a plastic bottle of soda and a plate at hand. She set both of them on top of the table. "Enjoy." The middle-aged woman backed away, leaving the stranger and me to ourselves.

"You're obviously not from around here," she stated.

"No. I'm not from here. I'm on a little trip."

"Good. You're also going to take me along. Understood?" She said, a sly grin on her face.

"What? Why?" The woman's grin quickly evaporated into complete annoyance and anger. With a sudden movement she jerked herself and reached for her pocket. She pulled out a pistol and directed the barrel directly at me, her finger on the trigger. "Listen! You're taking me with you, no questions asked! Unless you want to be buried six feet under," the female hissed.

I looked around in terror. The few people that were seated inside took into no account of my situation. No one seemed to notice or care about someone being held at gunpoint, everyone just kept on their own business. My hope for help quickly dissipated. "Oh. Uh, oh-okay. S-sure." I stuttered, my ability to talk impaired.

She lowered her gun and placed it back in its original place. "Good. Looks like I won't be taking care of a corpse tonight." She started, "Now, forget about your food. We have an errand to run." With little choice, I stood up, dropped a $20 bill on the table, and walked out the door. My eyes widened on the sight of a man bleeding on the ground. I ran toward the bleeding man until I was stopped by a bullet that struck the ground in front of me. "Step away from the man!"

I did as she said and backed away. My eyes met with the man's pleading eyes. His face was plastered with pain and sadness. If he were to die here, he would no longer see his wife, kids, friends, and family. It pained me to see someone undergoing such suffrage. Without noticing, I found myself shedding a tear as well. "Quit your crying and get in the damn car!"

I left behind the unfortunate man and did as she had ordered. Once inside, she stepped on the gas and we drove away from the crime scene. After only a few minutes, my ears picked up the sound of sirens coming from the area we had just been at. I was certain that the sirens were headed directly to the wounded person. "You're going to do something for me. We're headed downtown and you're going to do everything I say, if not, you perish." She said, ignoring the sounds of sirens behind us.

I gulped, exasperation quickly gaining control of me. "Fine. But at the very least tell me, who the hell are you?"

"I'm Ivory, Ivory Jones. I'm known in this area for my continued resistance against the local police and the local gangs," she started, "Still, I'm willing to put down anyone who gets in my way. That man that you saw back there, he is one of people who work for me. He attempted to turn against me, so I put him down."

"Don't you think that you could have ended that without shooting a bullet? He could be dead!" I yelled.

"No. No one here can be trusted. The only way to get anything done around here is to use brute force. Everyone turns against you, everyone wants to see you dead, everyone wants to see you rot, this all happens at some point," she hissed. My mind searched for a response to her statement, it found nothing. An awkward silence quickly set in while the car sped down the FDR Drive. In the ride, I was able to pick up notable structures that symbolized New York City. In the darkening horizon stood the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and the iconic Liberty Towers that had come to replace the collapsed World Trade Center. The icons were truly a sight to see and instead of visiting the amazing places, I was sitting in the passenger seat of a car that would most likely be hunted down by the police in the coming days. Things really weren't looking good.

By the time the skyline had become completely dark, we had made it to our only stop. In between Broadway Street and Greenwich stood a small alleyway. "You are taking this package into the alleyway. Once it's delivered, run back to the car. From there we'll be heading out toward Hollywood," she said while handing me a poorly wrapped package. I stepped out of the car and looked down the dark alleyway. Precariously, my feet walked ever closer toward my goal. My body felt a new wave of chills run down my spine. It felt as if someone was watching me. "You aren't Ivory. Who the fuck are you kid?" A burly man appeared behind me.

I watched the man in absolute fear. He was virtually a foot taller and twice the size of me. In the darkness, I was also able to see tattoos that littered both his arms. "I was sent by her. I have the package that you require."

The man stared directly at me with great interest. He seemed to be suspicious of my presence, but he just disregarded it and received the undetermined package. "Good. Now, kid, I would get the hell out of here if I were you."

"Right." I ran as fast as I could back toward the car where I was met by Ivory. "Is the job done?" she asked.

"Yes. It's done."

She laughed maniacally and forcefully advanced the car forward. "Good. You have earned yourself some time to live, for now." I nodded and attempted to forget about what she had said. Another awkward silence besieged the two of us once again until the near exit from New York. It was then when our wonderful silence was interrupted by the sudden arrival of the police. I looked through the rear view mirror, easily I was able to depict the bright blue letters, 'NYPD'. We were being chased by them.

Suddenly, the car began to jerk back and forth and side to side. The trees that first seemed visible whenever we drove by now quickly went across my line of sight. I could tell that we were going at twice the speed as before. Still, they were in hot pursuit of us. In desperate attempts to stop us in our tracks the police would ram into the rear end of the vehicle. Each time Ivory struggled not to lose control of the car but to our luck she kept it together. She had to, or else it was prison time for the both of us.

"Looks like it's time to put that package to good use. Phineas take the wheel!" she yelled. Letting go of the wheel, she jumped to the back of the car and searched her pockets for something. With a devious smile, a small device appeared in her hand. Her fingers flicked at a switch, revealing a big flickering red button. Instantly, she pressed it and a small tremor shook the ground. I knew now that the package was actually an explosive. "That bomb will divert the police. We can't have them all in our tail."

My mind took the right decision to remain quiet about it at the moment. Instead it focused on the road, evading every single car that lay ahead of us. I knew that a single wrong move could end in a serious crash and an ensured arrest. To make matters worse, ahead of me was a group of cars that seemed to block any escape route. Adrenaline pumped through by body as the car approached the mess of cars.

At the last second, Isabella appeared in my thoughts. It reinforced my strength. My ears shut out the sounds of sirens and the sounds that were coming from Ivory at the back seat. My feet steadily added more pressure to the gas pedal and the car positioned itself in between the lanes. I advanced into the mess, the sound of squealing metal and tires filling the area. A massive spark and a slight view of a passenger shrieking in fear appeared in the side view mirrors. Still, somehow we made it out of the mess.

After a few moments, the sounds slowly weakened to mere echo. I turned toward the rear view mirror and the bright lights that reflected off of it turned to a small light in the distance. "We lost them," I said finally relaxing myself on the seat.

"Yes, but we need to find a place to hide from the police. They'll be setting up checkpoints soon, we cannot be caught up in one." I nodded and placed the car at the extreme right lane. We exited the Interstate in the following exit. The exit revealed a small worn down town in the middle of a massive forest. All around us stood trees or run-down buildings. It depressed me to see the severity of decline.

"This will have to do. The police wouldn't search for us here." she started, "Look for a motel or something. We'll need a place to stay for tonight." Our search took ages. By the time we had come across a Motel 6, the time had already struck midnight. We pulled into the parking lot and got out of the car. As if by instinct, Ivory summoned her pistol. She intended to force the receptionist to gift us a room for the night. In annoyance, I ran toward her and pushed her gun down. "Hey. Let me pay for the two of us. We can't draw much attention to us."

She grunted in anger and placed the weapon back to its original place. We walked into the dilapidated motel and headed toward the receptionist. "We would like to request two rooms, one for her and one for me." I asked.

"Humph. Fine. That'll be $75." I winced upon hearing the price. I pulled out my wallet and handed the money to the woman. "Thank you," she said as she handed us our separate keys.

My feet took the initiative and went toward the door that led on to my room. My face dropped when I opened door. The small dorm included a small bed, a closet, a bathroom, and a beige carpet. Nevertheless, I took toward the bed, disregarding the fact that I was going to sleep with the clothes I'm had worn all day. I was too exhausted to care. My body relaxed on the small bed until my eyes turned heavy. My attempts to keep my eyes open all failed. Slowly, I drifted into sleep.

"Isabella...?"

* * *

**A/N**: Late? Yeah. I had a bit of trouble deciding on where to take the story next. Alongside that, certain programs have risen. It really saps my time away. Still, I'll attempt to update this Fic as soon as I can. I promise that I will not abandon this Fic.

Also, I'm trying to incorporate some 'sappyness' into the chapters, but it's really hard to do so when Isabella isn't in the main adventure part of this. Plus, this story isn't really centered around romance. I'll be saving all of the fluff until the final 2 or 3 chapters


End file.
